McManaman: Economy may rough up MLB, D-Backs

by Bob McManaman - Feb. 22, 2009 12:27 PMThe Arizona Republic

Conor Jackson said something that almost made me drop my tape recorder.

While interviewing him a few days ago in Tucson about his hopes for a possible breakout season, the Diamondbacks left fielder stopped the chain of questions and wanted to talk about the state of the economy.

"You know," he said, "there's more to life than baseball. People are hurting out there. They can't pay their bills. They're losing their homes. They're losing their jobs.

"It's a scary world out there right now. Baseball is fun, but this is serious stuff. I feel for people out there, I really do."

As nice as it was to hear a young millionaire ballplayer seem to genuinely care about the rest of us, it got the Heat Index thinking:

How will the dire economic situation affect attendance in Major League Baseball this season, specifically at Chase Field when it concerns the Diamondbacks?

Manager Bob Melvin, for one, admitted he was a little too focused on preparing his roster for the start of Cactus League play to really give it much thought. But he points to the team's high renewal of season-ticket sales and the reasonably priced, individual-game tickets as potential signs of business as usual.

The Heat Index isn't so sure. National projections show attendance numbers will be down across the board at sporting events. Oh, they might still turn out for NASCAR and are sure to fill the seats at the new Yankee Stadium, but what about other venues? What about here?

Before this financial crisis even hit, Chase Field often looked like a morgue in previous summers. And if fans are having trouble putting food on the table at home, it's reasonable to expect they aren't going to be shelling out for midweek homestand series against the Brewers, Pirates or Nationals.

Heck, they might not even turn out to see the Dodgers, Mets and Cubs like they used to.

"It doesn't matter what sport it is. It doesn't matter what venue it is. Attendance is going to suffer and that's the bottom line if you want to be honest about it," Diamondbacks pitcher Doug Davis said.

"You see Walt Disney commercials on all the time trying to get people to go to their theme parks. People can't afford it. That's it. So yes, attendance is going to be down. Not only here, but around the whole continental U.S. And it's going to hurt everybody, not just baseball. It already is."

Diamondbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds said if fans can't afford to come out to the ballpark, it's understandable. But he thinks baseball can serve as a brief break from reality.

"They can use it to come out and forget about things for a while and enjoy the game," he said. "It's definitely tough times for everyone . . . but it's a good out for people."

Making the experience even more affordable is a better solution. If teams don't want barren ballparks, stadiums and arenas, then they must find creative ways to slash prices and offer better discounts. Real ones, too.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told us at the Super Bowl that three-quarters of the teams in his league are considering keeping their ticket prices in line with last year, which is a good sign. Offering credit extensions to season-ticket buyers is another smart option being discussed.

Hopefully, the Cardinals will be among those taking the lead following their dramatic Super Bowl season. If not, the string of sellouts at University of Phoenix Stadium will end next season.

As for the Diamondbacks, some players point to the Cardinals as a sign of what could be for them and another way to keep the fan base coming back.

"If we have an incredible season like we saw the Cardinals have, people will show up, people will come," Reynolds said. "But if we go through a bad season and nothing's really on the line, and the economy is still rough, it's going to be tough."

Davis agreed.

"If we win, they'll find a way to get that extra $20, $30 to make it out to the park," he said. "Winning solves everything."

It may work in baseball and in sports in general, but like Conor Jackson said, "There're more to life" than baseball and sports.